Wheeling register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1878-1935, 1887-05-03


Kentuckians IN their maddened fury had
skinned the chief, cut the skin into strips
and dried il for use as razor strOps. The
death of Tecumseh was most important
event in the war 1t forever closed the
strife for supremacy between the whites
and the Indians of the Northwest.
On his way back to Washington Col.
johnson was everywhere received with the
most enthusiastic greetings, and Congress
by Joint resolution directed that he he pre-
sented with suitable testimonials of his
service. In 1919 he retired from Congress
and was elected to the Legislature, which
body at once raised him to the United
States Senate, and in 1892, in reelection
to that high Office, accorded him the honor
of the first unanimous election of the kind
in the history of the State. While serv-
ing in this capacity he became impressed
with the haTdships Of the old English COM
mon law, then in vogue in the United
States, which turned every county jail in
TO marshalea for the oppression of unior-
tunate debtors. He drafted bill TO
ameliorate the condition of this class
of citizens by enlarging the area
of their confinement TO the bOun-
diaries of the town, which the Legislature
of Kentucky passed in 1920. The next
year he was made happy as the author OF
the first bill in the United States, passed
by the Kentucky Legislature, for the abol-
ishment of Imprisonment for debt. Other
States followed the example of Kentucky,
until now there are but few, if any, States
in which u debtor may be detained IN
prison for his debts, excepting i'll the in
stance of an overt attempt at fraud IN leav-
ing the State. In 1929 Col. johnson re-
tired from the Senate and was elected to
represent his district in the lower house OF
Congress. During this period, IN the
early part of the ''thirtieS, " when the mail
was carried by stage coach and post boys
on horses, certain ones in Congress con-
ceived the idea that it was II Dissertation
of the Sabbath to transport mails on Sun
day. They presented a bill to cause all
mail employees to suspend further trans
mission of the mail from Saturday mid
night until Sunday midnight. A great cry
went up over the country and especially
west of the Allegheny mountains.
Col. Johnson was appointed chairman Of
the committee to take the matter under
advisement, and his report, which Con
cress afterward adopted by rejecting the
hill, was regarded q mastery work on the
questions in conflict even to tue present
day between the necessities of the people
in good government and the moral injury
in the sanction OF certain laws n had gov
ernmcnt. 1t was alleged that the report
was prepared by Elder Alexander Camp
bell, the founder OF the Christian Church,
aud warm friend of Col. johnson, and
his brother, John r. Johnson, who WAS an
elder and follower of Mr.. Campbell in the
church.
At the thirteenth Presidential election,
| in 1896, on the Democratic ticket, when
| Martin Van Buren, was elected President,
Col. Johnson received III electoral votes,
Francis Granger ~, John Tyler a and
William Smith % for Vice President. No
one receiving u majority the election de-
vOlyed upon the Senate, which subsequent
| ly chose Col. Johnson. At the expiration
OF his term he retired to his farm in Scott
county, but was shortly alterward elected
to the Legislature, OF which body he was n
member when he died. in Frankfort, in
| November, 1850. The remains were placed
| IN llOnJ Oh Tue DptdhCl St~aht, III INV
House of Representatives, and To IN i'm
mense congregation of legislators, officials,
citizens and visitors from various adjoin-
ing States, Rev. Stuart Robinson, who
afterwards rose into distinguished prOmi-
hence in the Presbyterian church, preached
most powerful sermon upon the life and
character Of tho deceased. The procession
to the grave was more than mile IN
length. headed by Col. VIM. Preston, of
the house, ~ chief marshal, and assisted
by Gen. Daniel Morgan, Hamilton Pope, of
the Senate; T.. B. Gather and RObt. Todd,
of the House, and Gen Peter Dudley, Of
Frankfort, and Gen. John T. Pratt, of Scott
county.
Col. Johnson was a typical Kentuckian,
about feet 10 inches in hight, splendid IN
his proportion, bat inclining i'll his latter
DAYS to eorpulence. He was never mar
ried, but his brothers. descendants are nu-
merous in the Blue Grass region of Ken
lucky, and many have risen to high posi-
tions of honor and trust. W. II. MIR.